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Topic Review (Newest First)

09-28-2001 03:56 PM

topwater

juro,

i wouldn't worry about the date. sekiu has a fixed season (and has been open throughout september for many years). the coastal ports are the ones on a strict quota (neah bay to ilwaco). so if the regulation pamphlet says sekiu closes sept. 30, that's when it closes. now, if one goes west about 20 miles the quota deal is in effect.... but with the wild release requirements, plus sekiu opening at the same time have kept us open throughout the season since the wild release requirements came into effect.

i haven't heard the preliminary reports that ryan mentioned, but have heard that next year's quotas should be about the same as this years quota for the coastal ports. with the amount of feed out in the ocean this summer, the small shakers now seen in the strait and ocean should be fat pigs next summer.

as this season winds down (sunday being the last day in the ocean) i can't help but think back on this season. it started hot in july and peaked as we got that massive august storm... after the storm things changed, but there were still plenty of fish... just a few less than before. what amazed me was the amount of feed this summer. huge schools of baitfish and krill roamed around with the salmon taking full advantage of it (one salmon killed had 11 small herring in it's stomach... and probably puked a couple during the fight). while i look forward to the next couple days fishing, my thoughts drift more towards july of 2002, when we can start this crazy thing all over again. hopefully the ocean conditions stay good and this fishery can maintain itself or even improve.

09-28-2001 12:50 AM

NrthFrk16

Sounds like a plan! I am so looking forward to next September as I am very intrigued by this fishery and there is so much to learn, so much to discover...well, for me atleast.

But steelhead must be in the picture...I can not spend a whole day in a boat. I go NUTS!! 6 hrs at a time max with about 9 hrs the max for me for the day. I get very restless, even if the fishing is good. As Brian (DoubleSpey) said, he (like me) has to get out and explore and walk the rivers.

09-26-2001 11:49 PM

juro

Yes, September before they close the season. The season is usually closed by quota, meaning the combined sport and commercial catch. In most years this does not make it thru September but this year is so heavy of a return that they are going by calendar date. If Ryan's sources are good (and they should be based on his major at UW) then we should be able to go by calendar year again next year.

Even still, I would be prepared to beat the quota just to be safe. Short answer - first two weeks in Sept.

This happens to co-incide with great steelhead fishing as well, there are dozens of rivers to choose from.

If we got a fair number of parties interested then splitting a rental car would be cheap enough too.

I hope this comes together!

09-26-2001 07:18 PM

doogue

Ryan and Juro,

Count me in too...camping and fishing in the Pacific Northwest sounds incredible. That would be a perfect trip for me. I am game and I want to make it happen. Hopefully I can convonce my brother, my Dad and JeffB to tag along. Camping cheapens up the trip considerably.

What is the best time of year for the trip? September?

Thanks men.

-Mike

09-26-2001 01:35 PM

juro

That would be great, Ryan. That's how I experienced Sekiu the first time I went. I met a McChord AFB recruit on the plane from Minneapolis when I was flying to SEA to start my new job in the mid-80's. Turned out he was a fisherman and I gave him my new work number. He found out he could rent Arima Sea Hunters for $25 / day off the base so we decided to grab our tents and go to Sekiu.

When we got to the base to pick up the boat, an officer "pulled rank" and we ended up with the Livingston skiff instead. No problem in fact that thing was as seaworthy as could be. Drove out to Sekiu with an hour or two of daylight to spare with no intention of fishing when a father son team came in with their limit of huge kings. We went over to talk to them and they suggested we get out there right away, handing us a half dozen 6" herring in a bag. We dropped the skiff and headed to Mousolini Rock, and the rest is history. On the second pass motor mooching right at the edge of the kelp in 90 feet of water I hooked, battled and landed a 20 pound ocean chinook (first ever). I got my line back in the water and decided to bleed the salmon on the bow rope. John hooked up with another king, and while I was messing with the first fish the rod doubled over - and went overboard!

John lost his fish and we limped back with one fishing rod and a big fat king salmon. I packed it in the cooler and crashed with dreams of fish in our heads for the next morning. I had no rod so I used a little spinning rod John had for freshwater. We went out along the 90 foot mark at dawn and I landed about a 15 pounder on that little spinning rod - what a battle!

After 9am the inshore action for kings dies so we headed out to find coho - what an eye opener that was. The little boat didn't have rod holders and a couple times the rods were nearly ripped out of our hands.

Soon I would be introduced to the way coho love to hit flies on the surface by Ken Morgan, my salmon fishing mentor. Eventually I would sample the Straits, Neah Bay and the Vancouver Island waters (Swiftshure) with a flyrod. Now I go with only a flyrod.

Anyway camping would sure cut the costs down to a minimum and allow us to have several days split between the prime time fly action and the areas summer steelhead streams. On the way out - the Elwha, the extender being the upper Hoh staying in Forks.

Count me in!

09-26-2001 03:02 AM

NrthFrk16

Mike-
It sounds like next year maybe the year to go as I have heard preliminary reports that next years run throught the Straights is going to be 1 to 2 times larger then this years.

Juro has poisned me!! Wouldnt it be wonderful to set up a campsite for a few days...fish in the mornings and the afternoons/evenings and enjoy a campfire during one of those amazing sunsets-like the one pictured?

09-25-2001 10:30 AM

juro

There are many more pics coming and details as well, plus a special new section to discuss and enjoy the relatively new discovery of ocean salmon on flies.

Please by all means pick my brain on this, also you will get much more from some of the PNW 'gurus' directly.

Each time we go we re-learn the lessons we already learned, but by capturing this knowledge maybe we can build on our experiences over time. This will be one of the main purposes of the new ocean coho section.

09-25-2001 07:41 AM

doogue

Juro,

You have the antidote but those pictures are the venom itself. I would love to head out to the PNW and partake in some of the action displayed in your pictures. The scenery and the fish remind me of a trip I made to Alaska.

Next time I see you I am going to pick your brain for the preliminary details needed to plan a trip out there.

I hope that you had a great time.

-Mike

09-25-2001 12:04 AM

NrthFrk16

Juro-
Love the pictures...

Cant wait to see the story!!

BTW-Some Flashy Ladies will be coming your way. It is all that I can do for you treating me to some awesome steelie flies and giving me a dry line primer. Maybe they will work on stripers...